Courante

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Annotations

"The truly noble Courant (koo-RAUNT) or Coronto (koo-RAUNT-o) which is considered a French Masque type Baroque & Renaissance dance (popular in 17th. Century England) as [the French] perfected it....Originally, the Courant came from Italy to France via Catherine de Medici (1518-1589)[...] The Elizabethan Courante was much quicker than the Courante of [of the reigns of] Louis XIV (1638-1715) and Charles II (1661-1700).[...] "Originally It was reported as a Pantomimic wooing dance.[...]"It has been compared to the Spanish Seguidilla, and is by some supposed to be the parent of the waltz and the precursor to the Minuet which was a Branles of Poitou, and was thus called because of its small steps and was derived from the Courante. When the pupil knew the steps of the Courante well, when he could turn his feet properly and control his movements, he was initiated into the mysteries of the graceful and ceremonious Minuet, which took three months to learn, and of which there were endless varieties (learning the courant was considered a prerequisite to the Minuet)...." http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3cornt1.htm

"Here is a reasonably simple 2 part arrangement of this dance from 'Terpsichore'....Learning points : - 6/8 rhythm - Binary structure" [with a midi file that allows you to click and hear the music] http://www.mtrs.co.uk/courante.htm